Iris boat/barge tour reviews — 1 to 30 of 65
Dave H.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
I worked with TripSite to plan this trip for 20 friends and family and they were fantastic to work with: flexible, friendly and professional. And the trip costs half of similar trips offered by US based bike tour operators. The Iris was a superb boat in great condition and the crew were amazing, with a special shout-out to the fantastic food! The riding was hard to believe: miles and miles of flat, scenic, history drenched wine country. Every days ride was enjoyable and had nice prizes and surprises along the way. Some of my group decided to stay on board for one or more days and got to relax and watch the castles go by, read a book, drink some great local white wine, and chat with the friendly crew. This particular tour: the Mosel between Cochem and Metz, was referred to me by a good friend who has done a dozen packaged bike tours and said this was his favorite. Now it's ours!
Derek G.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Aschaffenburg to Cochem
Germany
The biking.
Laura H.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
Reik welcoming and friendly nature & Omar's cooking.
I learned never to be on the last trip of the season, the exterior of the boat was kinda 'sad' looking.
Guides should actually know where they are going and put safety of riders at the top of their concern. Paul was so careless he was dangerous.
I don't think I would've gone on this trip if I would've known that I wasn't free to ride/stop when I wanted to or even provided the route information. I've been on several trips with Backroads and this did not measure up.
Tripsite staff • 3 months ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for taking the time to write to us, we appreciate it immensely! This season was incredibly difficult for guides and crew, every week it seemed we had to find new personnel because folks were out with COVID. However, the safety and comfort of our guests should be paramount. I'm so sorry to hear about your experience with the guide, I have already inquired about his behavior and will ensure it is dealt with properly.
For nearly all our tours, we provide GPS tracks for independent cycling. However, there are a select few guided trips, such as aboard the Iris, which are still strictly group tours. I am sorry this wasn't to your liking, I do believe the Iris will eventually provide information for self-guided riding but until then, we have other boats offering this service. I hope you were still able to enjoy other aspects of the trip, despite these issues
Clifford H.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
Traveling on the IRIS was nice. Highlights: Bike ride from the extinct volcano down to the Mosel was a great 40 mile ride (almost all down hill). The wine tasting excursion was set up by our guide Paul. Quite different than others I have been to. It was an intimate meeting with the owner of the winery that had been in his family since the 1600s. It rained (really just a mist) during 2 of our rides but with rain gear, it didn’t effect us.
Give me a call if you would like to hear some minor suggestions for improvement.
Bruce Z.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The places we biked to were wonderful....villages, river views, vineyards. The Iris was fantastic. Great crew, wonderful boat. Was very hot part of the trip and the crew did a great job adapting to the heat. Would highly recommend this trip.
Patricia G.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The scenery along the Mosel was very nice and the biking was generally as advertised- easy. Day 2 was more challenging than expected with more hills (not steep but long). It might have been helpful to know in advance, as the description only mentioned the downhills. Strictly speaking, I’m not sure I’d classify it as an easy ride. Having said that it was a truly gorgeous ride.
I also enjoyed the ride through Trier. Rikko did an excellent job giving the historical background.
Rikko and Paul were eager for feedback on the days rides and open to suggestions during the evening briefing. As a result we often split into 2 groups, allowing riders to go Read More at their own pace. They also adjusted the daily rides as we had a couple of very hot days. Their flexibility was appreciated.
I would certainly recommend this trip to others. It was worth the wait!
LOIS R.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Aschaffenburg to Bamberg
Germany
the biking in beautiful towns.
Jeryl C.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Aschaffenburg to Bamberg
Germany
This was my first bike and barge and I truly enjoyed it. We did have some rain and I didn't even mind it. We had come prepared. The staff were very kind and accommodating and the guides were just terrific! The room was more spacious than I expected including the bathroom. We had hot water everyday after getting back to the boat after biking all day. It was a very relaxed atmosphere and I would definitively go on another one.
Rosemary V.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Aschaffenburg to Cochem
Germany
I loved this trip. It was a great combination of physical activity, culture, phenomenal scenery , great guides and interesting fellow passengers. No question that I will do more bike and barge trips. Very well organized.
Linda C.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The biking throughout was excellent: we had great guides and the barge crew was friendly, accommodating, and VERY professional. Plus there seemed to be a castle on every hill, like biking through a fairytale.
John V.
8 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
The guides and crew were wonderful and really made the trip special. Although you will be riding and walking a good part of the day, don't expect to lose much weight as the food is delicious
Annette v.
8 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
The biking route was just perfect. The scenery and sights were wonderful. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable.
The new bikes were so great to use. There were 2 smaller people on our trip that had bikes that were too big for them. One had a couple falls and we were always afraid they might be injured.
Another thing that could be helpful is to have some more road safety tips. The shark teeth at intersections, the red path is for bikes etc. While these were explained to us it might be more helpful to see a video with these actually shown. I loved having Lenny as sweep the one day just reinforcing "you are on the right so he will stop " and "he has shark teeth so you can go".
Thank you for a wonderful vacation
Melanie K.
8 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
The guides and staff were extremely engaging and accommodating . The chef selection of food and wine pairings exceeded expectations . The guides were knowledgeable and personable . The tour route had the right balance of cycling , exploring and relaxing .
To improve
Rooms stuffy . Better ventilation needed for sleeping . Suggest a check to set the climate control .
Two members of our group required extra small bikes not available .
Face clothes in rooms .
Theresa S.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
The e bike was a fabulous way for me to be able to keep up. It was of superior quality to mine at home and I’d unequivocally say that almost any riding capability would be able to enjoy this trip by requesting the Gazelle e bike offering. For the barge, we really noticed the lack of air circulation in our rooms at night. They advised us when we got there that ac wasn’t working- they worked on fixing that during our time aboard but it was the one thing that prevents me from giving it an absolutely perfect rating.
Niemiec R.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
When thinking about the trip, the biking is what I thought about most. Once the trip began, I realized the "extra" aspects of the trip were the most meaningful:
- visiting a cheese farm to learn about
- walking through the cities with our guides learning about their history
- fabulous meals on board
- friendly and talented staff
Kimberly J.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
This trip had it all great cycling through gorgeous and historic NL with some fun informative guides, delicious meals prepared by chef Ellen, spending time with great friends and meeting new people. Highly recommend this trip. Lenny is an excellent host.
Charles B.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
This trip was perfect. The boat was clean, roomy and comfortable. I liked the ride and stay in Haarlem best, but wait the ride to Leiden … really loved it all! Did I mention the Chef and meals, wow.
Gloria A.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
Amazing rides through the countryside, full of spring blossoms
Debra L.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
Great trip, staff was very helpful ,food was wonderful. The bike trails in the Netherlands are never ending and scenic. Would highly recommend.
Joyce N.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
Love the scenery. The canal with the houses and beautiful yards next to them, Keukenhof gardens snd the tulip fields were absolutely gorgeous.
If I did this tour again I would get an e bike. The wind was blowing pretty hard so I was struggling to keep up. Also it was a lot colder than I thought it would be.
Joyce N.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
Love the scenery. The canal with the houses and beautiful yards next to them, Keukenhof gardens snd the tulip fields were absolutely gorgeous.
If I did this tour again I would get an e bike. The wind was blowing pretty hard so I was struggling to keep up. Also it was a lot colder than I thought it would be.
Janina D.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
The staff of the Iris was great! We loved the intimacy and comfort of this barge. Biking through the Netherlands was a very immersive and great way to truly experience the various layers and beauty of their culture. We are hoping to do a Bike n Barge annually to explore other countries.
The communication from Tripsite could have been better. We were dismayed to see others in our group received Tripsite vests and gaiters. We had not. We literally received our travel documents/tips 5 days before departure.
Carla • 9 months ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Janina - Thank you for taking the time to leave us feedback!
I'm sorry you didn't receive your travel documents in a more timely matter. They were emailed to your travel agent a month before travel.
As for the vests, this was an offer we had in previous years. Some clients may have these vests from previous year's bookings, or had asked for new gear for their upcoming trip. We have limited stock available, but by request we're always happy to send these if we can accommodate the sizes.
Lisa H.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
Everything about this trip was excellent! Great boat, great staff, great guides, great food! What an amazing experience!
Barbara S.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
Most memorable was the cycling through the countryside and smelling the flowers, hearing the bird song and enjoying the fresh air. Also the friendliness of our hosts, like being with family.
Shih-Lee H K.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
A wonderful experience overall. Premium barge, excellent service and friendly staff made the trip much better.
Like the fact that we could break the group into two (fast and slow) riders.
Suggestions: a little more breaks during riding to allow time to enjoy the countryside.
Rick C.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
In my opinion, the bike barge experience with the Tripsite guides is the absolute best way to see and experience any country. The guides were both informative and fun and kept to the expected schedule.
Debra B.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands
The bike and barge trip of the Netherlands was incredible...much more than I had anticipated. Biking through the fields and canals brought us enchanting views of geese, sheep, cows, horses, swans, charming houses and villages, not to mention the tulips! The pace was perfect, and the diversity of each day well chosen. We enjoyed an excellent array of gourmet food and the laughing companionship of new friends from different countries. Our tour guides were full of information and made us feel safe on our travels. Lodging was very comfortable and private. After hearing me rave about this trip, several of my friends now want to take it too!
David M.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Aschaffenburg to Stuttgart
Germany
The Iris is a well equipped and comfortable barge with a fantastic crew. Our guide, Thomas, was knowledgeable and very helpful and the Italian chefs (husband and wife) cooked delicious food and were super cute! Lenny, the owner of the Iris, was present throughout the trip and this added a special warmth to the trip. This was the first time this itinerary was offered on the Iris and it went off without a hitch. Many of the guests had E Bikes (which I recommend even though it was rated as an easy route) which made the several small hills a piece of cake! Would definitely recommend this trip on the Iris.
Arthur S.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Aschaffenburg to Stuttgart
Germany
Great barge, good people, great guide and good food. The only thing missing was a good detailed map of where we were riding.
Allen A.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The barge and crew were amazing as were the bike guides. I would not change a thing.
However . . . the bikes were horrid and it was a bike trip! They were dated . . . poorly maintained . . . and dangerous. I had a piece of my front fender break and get stuck between my spokes in the front tire. I could have been badly injured if not going so slow through construction. I would think a "bike" trip would offer much better bikes in the future. I would not recommend this trip to friends because of the bikes . . . everything else was top notch . . . the food, the staff, the rooms, the bar . . . too bad about the bikes not meeting expectations.
Jehiel from Tripsite • 3 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Allen,
Thank you so much for sharing this feedback. The bikes used on this trip are serviced every week to ensure each bike is fit for the road. Our local partner would have gladly repaired or replaced the bike for you if it was brought to their attention. I hope that despite this issue, you still had a good time.
